baby bottles

"I have to get my baby to take a bottle but he won’t," says mom Sarah C. in a panic. She's worried about her upcoming six-hour work shift next week. "I've tried expressing my milk, tried formula and different bottles, but he just hates it," she says of her 15-week-old son. Shakira too, would like to give herself an occasional break from breastfeeding, but her daughter won’t take a bottle, whether it’s filled with breast milk or formula. "I breastfeed my daughter every day, all day, but I would like and really need for her to take a bottle." If you, too, like Sarah and Shakira, feel like a prisoner because your baby refuses a bottle, the following six tips from other moms may help your situation.

Click to see the tricks moms have tried that worked!

When you become a parent, the phrase "poppin' bottles" takes on a whole new meaning. It can take a dishwasher full of models to get the fit just right so we've tested baby bottles, sippy cups, and straw sippy cups for you. Reach for our best bets first with these reviews and share your favorite bottles in comments.

• 5 Best Baby Bottles — Some companies cater to tots moving from breast to bottle, while others boast to be made of more pure components. Like children, the feeding contraptions come in all shapes and sizes. Some infants reject one brand and latch right on to another, so we've tested numerous lines and rounded up five of the very best bottles on the market.
• Battle of the Sippy Cups — When my son's pediatrician reminded me to get him started on a sippy cup, I found myself running to the store in search of the perfect first cup. Walking down the weaning aisle, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of drinking vessels on the market. I quickly grabbed the now-BPA-free version of the same cup my older son had used, washed and sterilized it, and gave my lil tyke the go-ahead. It hit the floor in the blink of an eye. After a week of him simply chewing on the nozzle, I went back and gathered up a few different brands to see which he would like. After a month, we had some clear favorites.
• Battle of the Straw Sippy Cups — As a second child, my lil one is constantly on the go and we needed a cup that was easily transported. I reached out to a number of companies and put seven brands to the test. Check out the results!

Trendy tots sip from stainless steel bottles! New mamas looking to bypass the plastic bottle drama have other shatter-resistant options than glass. Earthlust's Birds & Bees stainless steel bottles ($24) are eye candy. Insulated to keep beverages cold or warm for up to four hours, the containers are designed to grow with tots, coming with pieces to transition from a slow-flow bottle to non-spill sippy cup. Like Earthlust's grown-up water bottles, the Birds & Bees collection is BPA-, PVC- and phthalate-free, making it a safer choice.

Could stainless steel replace plastic baby bottles? From stainless steel water bottle company Pura, Pura Kiki is a colorful line of baby bottles ($16 each) that convert into sippy cups. They're BPA-, phthalate-, and plastic-free, making them a seemingly safe option for new mamas. Unlike breakable glass bottles, stainless steel can be dropped or thrown and still be no worse for the wear. The bottles are compatible with most major brand's nipples (including Born Free, Dr. Browns, and Think Baby) and can be converted into sippy cups with a simple switch of the nipple. To monitor a lil one's liquid intake, the bottles feature interior markings rather than the traditional exterior versions. Would you switch to stainless?

Was Christian Audigier, founder of Ed Hardy, picking Jon Gosselin's brain about baby products when they were yachting in the South of France? We don't know exactly what the two were discussing earlier this Summer, but perhaps the dad of eight was giving some input on newborn products.

The company just announced the launch of Ed Hardy Baby Products, which will include baby bottles, bibs, and pacifiers featuring the tattoo designs. The BPA-free bottles and suckers will be manufactured in Germany using a silicone treatment to meet current safety standards and are expected to hit store shelves in October.

Are you interested in the latest eclectic offerings?